Patna, Apr. 6 (FN Bureau) The Mukesh Sahni-led Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) joined the Grand Alliance (GA) in Bihar on Friday following the failure of seat-sharing negotiations with the NDA. With the consent of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, a deal was finalised between Sahni and leader of opposition in the state assembly Tejaswi Prasad Yadav. Sahni called on Lalu Prasad Yadav during the day and after an hour-long meeting both parties agreed to the alliance. As per the fresh deal, RJD spared three seats from its quota for the VIP. The announcement was made by Tejaswi Yadav at a joint press conference, also attended by Sahni, at the RJD party office here. Yadav said that Gopalganj, Jhanjharpur and Motihari seats have been spared for Sahni’s VIP. Yadav said the association with Sahni was for both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. Lambasting the Modi government, Yadav alleged that it was trying to unleash dictatorship in the country by ignoring the constitution.
Describing Sahni as his elder brother, Yadav said that Sahni since the beginning had been raising the voice of oppressed sections and alleged that the BJP had conspired to suppress Sahni and his party. Sahni represents the Nishad community which has a population strength of 2.60 percent in the state. Under the new seat sharing adjustment RJD would be contesting 23 seats Congress on 9 left on 5 and VIP on 3. Earlier in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections Sahni was a constituent unit of GA and had entered into the electoral battle in three Lok Sabha seats where his party VIP had faced debacles. Sahni too had lost the election from Khagaria. Later Sahni’s political association with RJD became less cozy as VIP resented the seat-sharing formula during the 2020 assembly elections and broke off with the GA. Reacting to Sahni joining the grand alliance for the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Bihar minister and JDU’s prominent leader Vijay Chaudhary said when Sahni could not get a place in the NDA he shifted to the grand alliance and his political somersault would hardly have any impact.